Canada and Team Europe clinched spots in the semifinals.
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But the reality: The U.S. led the game for 89 seconds.
Canada is taking on the U.S.at the Air Canada Centre in what supporters hope will be another classic game between the two hockey superpowers. The speedy Duchene scored twice in the opening period while Thornton chipped in with an assist. He plays a gritty game but he’s also very skilled as a former 30-goal scorer. Or is it a case of “too little, too late” at this point?
KANE AND ABDELKADER: Hart Trophy victor Patrick Kane is expected to play on a line with grinder Justin Abdelkader and center Derek Stepan. Their roster was built behind size and physicality as a means of toppling Canada, a bet that ultimately failed.
Facing a do-or-die showdown with rival Canada, the overwhelming favorite in any global hockey tournament, the Americans were eliminated from contention by their neighbors to the north Tuesday after just two games. With one game remaining in the preliminary round, against Team Europe on Wednesday, it has only solidified that belief. An odd series of deflections saw the puck land on McDonagh’s tape just outside the crease. Just 14 seconds after a Matt Duchene goal had tied the score 1-1, Canada took the lead for good when forward Corey Perry crashed the U.S.net and a flying puck banked off his body and in.
Duchene took advantage of a wily play by Marc-Edouard Vlasic. The Quebec native flung a shot wide off the endboards, the carom landing right in the space Duchene occupied on Quick’s doorstep.
The talent pool in the U.S.is there.
Team USA got the start they wanted against Canada during their World Cup of Hockey matchup on Tuesday, but things quickly went south. American head coach John Tortorella challenged the play, but the goal and Canada’s 2-1 lead were upheld.
Literally. Minutes after USA’s elimination, Kessel tossed a shade bomb at USA Hockey on Twitter.
Asked to reflect on his team’s early exit, Tortorella added: “It’s disappointing, frustrating”.
“Playing there, against them, everybody wants us knocked out”, Tortorella said Monday.
Too quick at times for their American counterparts, Canada kept pushing to close out the period. “Every line expects to do big things when they’re out there, so it’s no shock when we do”. A few seconds later, Price stopped Blake Wheeler from the slot to prevent the Americans from going up by two.
Matched up against Sidney Crosby’s line, Ryan Kesler and linemates, Blake Wheeler and Justin Abdelkader, managed to keep the top Canadian unit pinned in the defensive zone for almost a minute and a half.
A 4-2 wipeout eliminated the United States from the World Cup of Hockey on Tuesday night, ending what was perhaps the best chance for this generation of players to win an worldwide competition. Justin Abdelkader got an unexpected chance with just under two minutes left, and it was this USA Hockey team in a nutshell: not enough skill to finish, runs Carey Price, takes a penalty.
Patrice Bergeron provided the dagger off of a tremendous John Tavares pass (see below), making it 4-1 at that point in the second period. Jonathan Quick started in goal for the U.S. He played with the 2010 Vancouver gold-medal outfit but, as he was well into his mid-30s and not particularly fleet of foot four years later, it seemed his game wasn’t as suited to worldwide affairs anymore. Shoving ensued and Couture briefly left for the Canadian dressing room before returning.
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Sydney Keedwell and Keisha Diamond, who both play hockey, drove from Kitchener to watch the game on the big screens at the fan festival.
